I'm planning to play a gnome illusionist sorcerer. Though I will take plenty of battlefield control spells each level, I'll be specializing in illusions.
I'll have these feats to start: spell focus: illusion, effortless trickery, threatening illusion, and persistent spell.
One of the main things I wanted to do is have an illusory bodyguard that follows me around (using effortless trickery to keep it up constantly). I had planned to cast a threatening silent image and later a threatening major image to create the bodyguard. However, this line from silent image makes me think it can only stay in a small area: "Effect visual figment that cannot extend beyond four 10-ft. cubes + one 10-ft. cube/level (S)"
So I had two questions:
1. Is there an illusion spell that will allow me to do what I want (i.e. create the illusion of a bodyguard that follows me around wherever I go?).
2. Though I'll be taking plenty of other non-illusion spells, what are your favorite illusion spells to build around as I level?
Many thanks!
The idea that occurs to me is to have a mauler familiar (or one of the larger improved familiars) with disguise self cast on it via share spells. It's not totally illusionary but it doesn't require concentration at all.
You have to have some sort of invisibility (vanish, invisibility, invisibility sphere, greater invisibility), and mirror image if you're going to specialise in illusions. The later versions of silent image often don't seem worth the increased spell level until you reach persistent/programmed/permanent image, though that may differ with the feats you're using. In a game which died just before I got to use them, I had plans to use wall of stone and illusionary wall to create city walls to help repel an army, and eventually to make my home reached only by a maze - spells with permanent duration are great.
Mass dazzling blade may actually be too good in certain parties. It's the swift action casting time which makes it so. I know a guy who has combined shadowmind and darkness spells to a useful effect. Shadow conjuration (& friends) offer awesome versatility.
Thanks for the thoughts. I hadn't considered the familiar combatant, though I had been hoping for some ideas of accomplishing the same thing with a spell and threatening illusion (which I maintain as a swift action).
Does that mean there's not a spell that can do that?
Maybe this is more of rules question, but don't silent image or major images only allow me to move the image within the area of effect?
"Effect visual figment that cannot extend beyond four 10-ft. cubes + one 10-ft. cube/level (S)"
In other words, I can move it within those cubes, but not outside, correct?
Interesting...I'm glad you mentioned that. I had been focusing on the language that said Major Image works like Silent Image. But there does seem to be a big difference:
Silent Image: You can move the image within the limits of the size of the effect.
Major Image: While concentrating, you can move the image within the range.
I think I'd agree with you that it can move around within the range.
